Field
The present invention relates to systems and methods for improving energy efficiency of a hybrid vehicle and for route prediction.
Description of the Related Art
With global energy prices rapidly increasing, users of vehicles that utilize various forms of energy are increasingly interested in enhancing the overall energy efficiency of the vehicle. The overall energy efficiency accounts for consumption of various forms of energy including fuel energy and electrical energy.
It is desirable to enhance the ability of hybrid vehicles to regenerate energy for storage in a battery (when regeneration is available). For example, when a hybrid vehicle travels downhill for a relatively long distance, regenerative braking can contribute significantly to battery charging. However, if the battery is in a full state of charge and does not have the capacity to be charged, the opportunity to store regenerated energy is missed. Therefore, it is desirable to prevent or reduce the duration of a battery charging limitation event during which the battery cannot be charged using regenerated energy.
There is a need in the art for a method and a system that can effectively analyze collected data regarding previously driven routes and corresponding vehicle operation data. Furthermore, there is a need in the art for a method and a system for modifying vehicle operations based on the collected data in order to enhance overall energy efficiency.